First Meals with Baby

Introducing solids was such an exciting time in our little home. It was one of the moments when Hanky Pank went from a newborn to a baby. I found it to be a a little bittersweet. But I’m a sap like that when it comes to Hanky Pank so moving on.

Before the big day, we picked up a few supplies. Ok, we have a million bibs now. They’re so cute! But after a few months I tend to gravitate towards a handful of bibs, dishes, and utensils. See my favorite solid feeding supplies here.

Then we choose a time when he wasn’t tired, hungry, or fussy. This turned out to be in the afternoon a little after he woke up from a nap but between bottles.

When it comes to those first little meals, I quickly found I didn’t really need that much food, really only a tablespoon or two. It was also important to add quite a bit of breastmilk or formula to make the consistency very thin. Whenever I thought I had the right consistency, I probably needed to add more.

Once we were ready, we put him in his seat, threw on a bib, and gave him the tiniest first bit. While he was a little baffled at first, he quickly started reaching for the spoon and developed the idea that the way to eat was to grab the spoon and try to push the food into his mouth. In the end, I’d say he probably ended up pushing most of the food right back out of his mouth and onto his bib. Apparently this is normal as babies are figuring out how to swallow.

In the first few weeks, I had to continuously remind myself in the beginning this was a very new experience for Hanky Pank. Sometimes I found it helped to talk to him as I give him new food and keep smiling even if he seemed less than impressed. I also found it was important to read his body language. A turned head and closed lips indicated he truly had enough.

Tell me about introducing solids to your baby. What was their reaction?